Entry 304-2

Greg Hackney on Smith Mountain Lake

Part 2: Day 1 of the Smith Mountain Tournament

Question: Greg, how did you start the first day of competition?

Hackney: I went to try to catch two big bass I’d found during practice, but they’d left the area. I managed to catch some male bass, but the female bass I’d found in practice had moved off the bank because of the cold weather.

Question: Greg, with your number-one game plan busted, what did you do next?

Hackney: I put my head down and started fishing. I knew the bass were close to the area where I’d found them on the bed, and I knew that once the day warmed-up, the bass would move back up into that shallow water. I only caught seven bass on that first day of competition, and they were fairly easy to catch. Because each bass was a little different, I had a Coffee Tube and a Baby Rage Craw rigged on a 3/8- and a 1/8-ounce sinker. Some of the bass that were really nervous liked the smaller weight. The other bass wouldn’t hesitate to take the larger lead, but I’ve learned that every bed bass has its own personality and attitude. Each bass I’d try to catch I’d watch for a little while to try to figure out its mood. After watching the bass, I’d decide what lure they most likely would bite. I had the Coffee Tube rigged on the 3/8-ounce sinker and the Baby Rage Craw on the 1/8-ounce sinker. I used the Baby Rage Craw on the bass that were the most spooky on the bed.

Question: Okay, Greg, when you flipped the green-colored Coffee Tube into the bed, how did you cast it?

Hackney: I cast it past the bed and then dragged it into the bed. Some of the bass would take the tube lying still, other bass would take it when I’d hop it, and still others would take it when I shook it. No one technique caught every bass. Every individual bass is like a person with its own unique personality. Sometimes I’d pitch the Baby Rage Craw to the bass, and I could tell by watching the bass that it wanted a bigger bait. So, I’d pitch the tube. Sometimes little baits won’t cause bedding bass to bite, but big baits will.

Question: How many bass did you catch on the first day?

Hackney: I caught seven keepers and kept five. This bag of bass put me in 2nd place in the tournament.

Next: Day 2 of the Tournament

Contents:

• Part 1: The Game Plan
• Part 2: Day 1 of the Smith Mountain Tournament
• Part 3: Day 2 of the Tournament
• Part 4: Day 3 of the Smith Mountain Competition
• Part 5: The Last Day of the Smith Mountain Lake Tournament